The Meaning of Exodus 33:5 Explained

Exodus 33:5

KJV: For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.

YLT: And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Say unto the sons of Israel, Ye are a stiff-necked people; one moment -- I come up into thy midst, and have consumed thee; and now, put down thine ornaments from off thee, and I know what I do to thee;'

Darby: Now Jehovah had said to Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiff-necked people: in one moment I will come up into the midst of thee and will consume thee. And now put off thine ornaments from thee, and I will know what I will do unto thee.

ASV: And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people; if I go up into the midst of thee for one moment, I shall consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the LORD  had said  unto Moses,  Say  unto the children  of Israel,  Ye [are] a stiffnecked  people:  I will come up  into the midst  of thee in a  moment,  and consume  thee: therefore now put off  thy ornaments  from thee, that I may know  what to do  unto thee. 

What does Exodus 33:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 33:1-11 - The Angel Leader And The Human Intercessor
Moses knew that His people were forgiven, but it hurt him to hear that an angel was henceforth to lead them. See Exodus 32:34. The burden of two and a half millions of people was too heavy for him to carry, even with angel-help. He must somehow secure the withdrawal of that sentence, "I will not go up in the middle of thee." He spoke of it to the people, who awoke to realize what their sin had forfeited, and put off their jewels. But their leader gave himself to prayer. Since Sinai was too far to climb, he seems to have pitched his own tent outside the camp as a temporary meeting-place with God; and when he entered it the people said: "Look! he is going to pray for us;" and he spake with God face to face, as we may, of what was in his heart. See John 16:26-27. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 33

1  The Lord refuses to go as he had promised with the people
4  The people mourn there
7  The tabernacle is removed out of the camp
9  The Lord talks familiarly with Moses
12  Moses prevails with God, and desires to see his glory

What do the individual words in Exodus 33:5 mean?

For had said Yahweh to Moses Say the sons of Israel You [are] people stiff necked In one [moment] I could come up into your midst and consume you Therefore now take off your ornaments upon that I may know what to do to you
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֱמֹ֤ר בְּנֵֽי־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אַתֶּ֣ם עַם־ קְשֵׁה־ עֹ֔רֶף רֶ֧גַע אֶחָ֛ד אֶֽעֱלֶ֥ה בְקִרְבְּךָ֖ וְכִלִּיתִ֑יךָ וְעַתָּ֗ה הוֹרֵ֤ד עֶדְיְךָ֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְאֵדְעָ֖ה מָ֥ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־ לָּֽךְ

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  For  had  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מֹשֶׁ֗ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
אֱמֹ֤ר  Say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בְּנֵֽי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
אַתֶּ֣ם  You  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
עַם־  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
קְשֵׁה־  stiff 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: קָשֶׁה  
Sense: hard, cruel, severe, obstinate.
עֹ֔רֶף  necked 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹרֶף  
Sense: neck, back of the neck, back.
אֶחָ֛ד  one  [moment] 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
אֶֽעֱלֶ֥ה  I  could  come  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
בְקִרְבְּךָ֖  into  your  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
וְכִלִּיתִ֑יךָ  and  consume  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.
וְעַתָּ֗ה  Therefore  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
הוֹרֵ֤ד  take  off 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
עֶדְיְךָ֙  your  ornaments 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֲדִי  
Sense: ornaments.
מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ  upon 
Parse: Preposition-m, second person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וְאֵדְעָ֖ה  that  I  may  know 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־  to  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לָּֽךְ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular